1955-56 Allan Cup Final
This is the 1955-56 Allan Cup Final for the senior amateur championship of Canada: Finalists Western Canada: Vernon Canadians Eastern Canada: Chatham Maroons Final Best of 7 Vernon Canadians beat Chatham Maroons 4 games to 1. Vernon Canadians won the Allan Cup. Newspaper Story From: The Nelson Daily News Monday, April 23, 1956 Maroons Flee From Vernon Hospitality (Vernon, B.C.)--In a surprise move possibly aimed at standing off the over generous spirit of the Vernon residents, coach Murph Chamberlin of the Chatham Maroons moved his entire hockey team out of Vernon Sunday and into seclusion. The team's location was kept a closely guarded secret. Club officals asked newspaper men and the public not to search out the new quarters. Van Thompson, Vice-President of the Eastern Canada finalists and the Allan Cup series, said the move was solely a question "of keeping the team together and of maintaining the proper mental attitude." The Maroons have been staying in Vernon's biggest hotel, and it was believed club officals were concerned that some Vernon citizens, over anxious to play host to the visitors, might lead them from the straight and narrow. Team officals will remain here. Nothing To Say-- Besides moving his team out of reach, Chamberlin forbade the players to talk to reporters and he himself declined all comment, following Chatham's 6-2 whipping Saturday night at the hands of the Canadians. The best-of-seven series is now tied at one game apiece, with the third game going tonight at Kelowna. Chamberlin, who had chatted with sportswriters following the Maroons' 7-1 victory in the first game, slipped away quickly after Saturday night's fixture and refused to talk to newsmen on Sunday. Playing-coach George Agar of Vernon was exulted over his team's victory. Agar said, "That's the team we've been used to seeing in action." Agar said and thought of his Canadians he was happy with most of his players performances, and thought his Canadians played a smarter game than the Maroons did. He declined to make predictions about how the series will go from here. Line-up-- Agar is expected to go into tonight's game with the same line-up as on Saturday night, including Yogi Kraiger of the Western International Hockey League Trail Smoke Eaters, on defence. Kraiger was brought in when Merv Bidoski was sidelined with a knee injury. Willie Schmidt, who suffered head and eyebrow cuts when he met up with Ted Power's raised stick blade late in Saturday's game, is also expected to be in the Canadians' line-up. Power himself is a question mark. Dr. Mel Butler, the series govenor, said he has forwarded the referee reports on the incident to Jimmy Dunn of Winnipeg, President of the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association, for action. Newspaper Story From: The Nelson Daily News Saturday, April 28, 1956 Vernon Canadians Allan Cup Champions Four Early Goals Lead to Triumph Vernon, B.C. (CP)--Vernon's Canadians downed Chatham Maroons 5-3 here Friday night to win the Allan Cup senior amateur hockey championship four games to one. The arena erupted in a burst of cheering, speeches and bagpipe blasts. It was the fourth straight win for the powerful Canadians in the best-of-seven series. The Canadians broke the game wide open with four goals in the first period and added another just before the final whistle to stifle a late, but determined Chatham bid. The Candians lead 4-0 at the end of the first, were in front 4-2 at the close of the second and were in serious danger in the final frame as the Maroons closed the gap to 4-3 with less than seven minutes left. Maroon coach Murph Chamberlin pulled goalie Marv Edwards with 25 seconds left in the game. Vernon defenceman Orval Lavell was penalized with only three seconds left to further the Maroon advantage but Chatham failed to get a dangerous shot on goal. Johnny Harms led the Vernon attack with two goals only 21 seconds apart. Other Vernon marksmen were Willie Schmidt, Jack McDonald and Merv Bidoski, Lloyd Ferguson, Bill Chalmers and Ted Power scored for Chatham. 12 Penalties Twelve penalties were handed out altogether--seven to the Canadians. A solid Vernon defence, led by burly Charlie "Yogi" Kraiger and Willie Schmidt, and the tight checking of the Vernon forwards, spelled the difference. The Vernon forwards raced to the attack, fed by sharp forward passes, while the Chatham front wall seemed unable to effectively control the puck. Vernon swarmed all over the Chatham club in the opening minutes of the game. McDonald scored the first goal at 4:17 when he checked defenceman Danny Blair in front of the Vernon goal. McDonald snatched the puck and flipped it through Marv Edwards' legs before the netminder could move. Chatham fought back, but failed to produce a shot on goal when Odie Lowe was off for tripping. Schmidt blasted a partially-screened blueline drive at 13:44 on a passout and then Harms scored twice within 21 seconds. His first goal at 17:28 was a wheeling backhanded effort that fooled Edwards completely. His next was punched in as Edwards permitted a weak rebound from Lowe. The Maroons came out in the second period and played as though the 4-0 lead didn't exsist. Chatham defenceman Dick Kotanen went off twice for holding and tripping, and the Maroons chose his second penalty to get on the score board. Power broke up a Vernon attack and fed Bill Chalmers the puck. Chalmers outskated the lone man back and pulled the trigger on Gordon from close range at 13:18. Just 84 seconds later, Jim Connelly started Power away at centre. Ferguson took Power's relay and slammed a shot past Gordon from 25 feet. The rally frightened Vernon supporters, but that was all it did. Team Photos 55-56ChaMar.jpg|Chatham Maroons 55-56VerCan.jpg|Vernon Canadians See Also List of Allan Cup Finals Category:Allan Cup Finals Category:1956 in hockey